Google’s updates sure are making websites stick to their Ps and Qs lately – or at least their Ps (Panda and Penguin). So what do all of these Google algorithm updates mean? An experienced SEO company will tell you that it means karma is finally catching up to those who engaged in black hat SEO tactics, or even ‘gray hat’ tactics. Google is cleaning up their results in favor of quality sites that are not under-optimized, over-optimized or have tried to ‘cheat’ their way to the top rankings.
If your site has been hit by updates and you are seeking an SEO company to ‘fix’ your site to get back in Google’s good graces, then you really need to do your homework! You can’t simply call SEO companies to inquire about the cost or the scope of work required to regain your lost rankings, and then sit back and let the SEOs do the work. You need to do research and ensure that the SEO company you are hiring will not implement recommendations that will get you penalized by Google updates – now OR in the future.
Once you get a good grasp regarding what Google ‘thinks’ is worthy of penalization, quiz the SEO company of your choice! Ask what their ‘comeback’ strategy is for your site and question if their tactics have ever gotten them penalized. “Google” the company and make sure that they are a ‘white hat’ SEO firm, so that you don’t end up back where you are now after future Google algorithm updates.
It used to be easier to differentiate a black hat SEO company from a white hat company – hopefully those companies have changed their methods or simply do not exist anymore! After all, Google’s updates are meant to improve user search quality. Compare Google’s algorithm updates to a store striving to provide more quality products. I don’t know anyone who wants to walk into a store only to discover rubbish products that are worthless, stolen and/or aren’t relevant to the product you had in mind.
Yes, Panda and Penguin can make an SEO company’s job more difficult, but quality search results are more important than quantity. I don’t think this is the end of SEO, as some articles have mentioned; however, it only means that more quality SEO methods must be implemented in the future. A successful SEO company must think “outside of the box” to create strategies that encompass more than just traditional tactics and must bid farewell to black hat tactics altogether. Simply having an optimized website hasn’t been “enough” in a long time, particularly for newer sites. Follow Google’s updates and guidelines, as well as the guidelines of other major search engines – and make sure your SEO company is, too!
